This invention relates to an improved railcar transport.
In some instances it is desirable to move railcars over the road to railcar repair facilities or to move railcars about railcar repair facilities or wherever desired without having large amounts of space devoted to trackage and switching facilities.
In order to transport railcars over the road and about various facilities, it is desirable to utilize a transport trailer capable of hauling a wide variety of railcars thereon without modification.
One such prior art railcar transport trailer comprises a trailer for use with a suitable truck tractor towing means. The trailer comprises an elongated rectangular frame having a pair of rails located inboard of the longitudinal side frame members of the frame on the frame cross members, having a railcar ramp secured to one end thereof and having a power winch mounted on the other end thereof to pull railcars thereon. The trailer also includes a rail alignment means on one end of the railcar ramp comprising a hydraulic cylinder mounted on a bracket secured on one side of the railcar ramp having the piston rod thereof secured to one of the rails with motion being transmitted to the other rail by means of a linkage. The railcar ramp is raised and lowered by means of a pair of hydraulic cylinders each having one end thereof secured to a vertically upward extending beam from the rear of the railcar trailer and the other end secured by means of a linkage to the railcar ramp near the point of attachment of the ramp to the rectangular frame, thereby having the hydraulic cylinders mounted above the pivot point of the ramp where it is secured to the elongated trailer frame. The trailer further includes rigidly mounted wheels and axles thereon with no provision for any type of suspension means, thereby causing the trailer to be suitable only for use at very low speeds on smooth surface.